Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

General discussion about Blue Iris
Idle0095
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:27 am

Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by Idle0095 »

I used Blue Iris for 3 years. Switched to a NVR 5 months ago. Went back to Blue Iris.
My concern is this. I leave my Blue Iris on a 42" monitor in my kitchen. Anyone can access Blue Iris and windows for that matter. When will Blue Iris lock the settings with a user name and password like a Dahua NVR does?
Anyone can change settings or view recording etc...
Anyone can just shut it down in windows as well.
Is there any solution for this?
HeneryH
Posts: 690
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2019 2:50 pm

Re: Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by HeneryH »

Create a limited access user account, use the web browser rather than the application and take the mouse/keyboard away.
Idle0095
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:27 am

Re: Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by Idle0095 »

My point is I shouldn’t have to do all this. It should have some type of security build in. I mean this is recording and maintaining cctv. Should have security.
Matts1984
Posts: 496
Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2020 1:12 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

Re: Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by Matts1984 »

Not completely sure what you mean. Yes you can easily achieve what you want, including using the UI3 interface. If you're logged into the console as Admin - well you have admin then.
Blue Iris 5.8.9.x | Server 2022 VM | Xeon E5-2660 v3 @ 2.60GHz - 16 Cores | 24GB RAM | 8TB RAID | Sophos UTM WAF | Mostly various SV3C Cameras
Idle0095
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:27 am

Re: Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by Idle0095 »

Basically using a NVR will make you enter the username and password to do anything but view live cameras. So it’s secure.
Blue iris is not. Anyone with a mouse can access everything.
HeneryH
Posts: 690
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2019 2:50 pm

Re: Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by HeneryH »

Who is in your kitchen that you are so worried about hacking into your security camera system?

As mentioned, create a new user with limited rights and use the web browser.

You don't want to do that?

Sorry, can't help you.
Idle0095
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:27 am

Re: Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by Idle0095 »

Web browser puts more usage in the cpu.
Idle0095
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:27 am

Re: Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by Idle0095 »

How about someone that breaks in. They can access the whole system.
IPCamMan
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2020 12:22 pm

Re: Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by IPCamMan »

I don't think BI is the issue here. IF this is in your kitchen, then why would this even be a problem ?
Any of your family living in your home would know / have the respect not to touch the setup wouldn't they ?

A simple, please don't touch would suffice I would think. IF one of your kids keeps touching the computer,
then I guess moving the setup to another room, with a lock would be a possible solution.
Matts1984
Posts: 496
Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2020 1:12 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

Re: Privacy and Security Issues with Blue Iris Question

Post by Matts1984 »

Idle0095 wrote: Mon Dec 14, 2020 7:09 pm Web browser puts more usage in the cpu.
While I'll agree that something doing anything does require usage (nothing is free)... I can have UI3 running with negligible CPU difference. My system reports at most a 3 or 4% CPU difference regardless of whether or not I'm logged into UI3 - well within the margin of error.

The admin console is an admin console. If you want view only access to monitor the feeds... that is completely within the capability of BI.

You're really kind of shoe horning a problem/solution to which anything other than a dedicated piece of hardware is unable to solve. Someone breaking in to your kitchen could take the Dahua NVR also. It's not fair to blame BI for the risk of someone shutting down Windows. Your power meter is on the outside of your house so I could shut down your NVR without access to your kitchen too. The Dahua NVR does not have a username/password lock to prevent someone from pulling the power cord.

BI works just fine as a server application (because it serves content) and can run on a headless server locked away in a physically secure area. Any system, and I mean ANY system, with a browser can view the feeds using a secure portal (UI3) and can have granularity with a specific username/password combination that could limit to a subset of cameras. That portal can time out from inactivity or it can be set to never timeout.

The one valid concern I have read about that is applicable in corporate environments is the issue of account management. It's not ideal for the Super Admin to allocate passwords to users who then cannot set them on their own. That doesn't appear to be an issue in your situation however.
Blue Iris 5.8.9.x | Server 2022 VM | Xeon E5-2660 v3 @ 2.60GHz - 16 Cores | 24GB RAM | 8TB RAID | Sophos UTM WAF | Mostly various SV3C Cameras
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